Nicoya, Costa Rica. This Central American nation isn't that far from the U.S. geographically, but it is way ahead of us in longevity. Protein helps to rebuild and repair tissue, as well as it helps a person to feel full. Modern Nicoyans roots to the indigenous Chorotega and their traditions have enabled them to remain relatively free of stress. Nicoyas interior where most of the centenarians and almost-centenarians live and northeastern coast are less visited by tourists but still have much to offer. In one of Buettner's most recent visits to Costa Rica, he defined Blue Zones as "a kind of lifestyle and environment that creates longevity. Barra Honda is on the peninsulas northeast about a half hours drive from the town of Nicoya. Nicoyans attribute much of their longevity to social values of faith and family. If you would like to be near things but get a bit more of a feel for traditional Nicoya life while also enjoying a bit of the touristy perks (surfing, fun restaurants etc.) On today's podcast, Gina does some serious myth-busting about what has kept the centenarians so well, for so long. For those that don't know, there are a few communities around the globe where people live long and healthy lives, up to and past 100, dubbed "blue zones." Nicoya, Costa Rica. Try spending quality times with your loved ones. Costa Rica Experts 2023. Try opting to walk places instead of driving. The five known Blue Zones identified in Buettner's book include:. Of course, there is still a desire for success (especially in the cities) but in general, the priorities are shifted. It includes the five cantons of the Nicoya Peninsula: Hojancha, Nandayure, Carrillo, Santa Cruz and Nicoya. Costa Rica is home to one of the five original blue zones regions, the Nicoya peninsula, with a high number of centenarians in excellent health. One thing I found especially interesting is the idea that this long life span is dying out. Costa Rica Retreat Center in the Blue Zone - Soltara Loma Linda, California. This is a BETA experience. Santa Teresa is great for surfing and enjoying a small but vibrant town with a backpacker vibe. Nicoya, Costa Rica, is a Central American Caribbean nation that boasts economic security and excellent health care. Also on offer are boat trips to the volcanic Tortuga Islands, where snorkelers might spot angelfish and porcupine fish, and theres a chance of seeing dolphins, manta and spotted eagle rays, and turtles on the way. Nicoya, Costa Rica - And then there's Nicoya, where Ricardo and his family live, a notable exception to the rule that people in developing countries have shorter life spans than those in developed ones. It is the reason why the founder of Omega Institute set up Blue Spirit in Nosara and a Longevity center. Everything You Need To Know About the Blue Zone in Costa Rica I have been exploring the data reported by National Geographic and Dan Buettner in the Blue Zones Solution: . These places are full of one-hundred-year-olds who have reached such like live wires, not in bed or in hospital. Surprisingly, happiness and keeping a focus on family are two of the main components. "Year after year, our surveys indicate that its the Costa Ricans themselves that set our destination apart, and it's certainly always a marvelous experience to spend time with the older generation. The Blue Zone Diet: Costa Rica's Secret to Living to 100 - Culture Trip Buettner approached National Geograhic with his idea and they agreed to help fund his research. Living Past 100: The Okinawan Diet and Blue Zone Centenarians The quality of Nicoyas water might be one of the reasons residents live long enough to become centenarians and almost-centenarians. He worked with several notable anthropolgists, dieticians, historians, and geneticists to identify and further understand what contributes to a long lifespan. Conzcanos. Ministry of Health data indicate that life expectancy is nearly 80 years, which is the highest in Central America, according to the World Bank. I also suggest watching his TED Talk. WED LOVE IF YOUD ADD IT ON PINTEREST! It's also an area identified as a "Blue Zone . For more information read our privacy policy. Nantipas special wellness booking includes yoga, meditation, Ayurvedic and sound therapies, and sessions with wellness coaches and personal trainers. In other words, Nicoyans receive a healthy dose of vitamins in their daily diet. The international attendees also included Dan Buettner, a reporter and researcher for National Geographic, who has been responsible for popularizing the concept of Blue Zones through the publication of various articles and best-selling books that explore the direct connection between this issue and diet, spirituality, purpose in life and physical exercise, with happiness as a cross-cutting element. One of the world's Blue Zones is in Nicoya, Costa Rica. Why is Costa Rica one of the Happiest, Healthiest - Blue Zones Nicoya Near the fishing village of Tambor (reached by a 20-minute flight from San Jos or a drive down from the Paquera ferry) is Costa Ricas first all-inclusive. Why People Live So Long On Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula - TravelAwaits Nicoya, Costa Rica A Latin American Blue Zone. Alternatively, Blue. I'm a Chief Metaverse Officer and a web3 luxury and fashion innovator. But other factors are at play, especially in Nicoya, an 80-mile peninsula just south of the Nicaraguan border. Another option is to take the 75-minute ferry across the Gulf of Nicoya from Puntarenas to Paquera. We met in Virginia, moved to Germany, and now live in sunny Costa Rica. All of the international experts agreed that the factors that make healthy longevity possible must be communicated worldwide, in order to reflect on the implications of Blue Zones, unique geographical areas with a high concentration of inhabitants who live to ninety or one hundred years of age, whose aging process is positive, and most importantly, deliberate and active. Costa Rica's Blue Zone - Special Places of Costa Rica Enjoying good health conditions shouldn't depend on economic or technological factors, but rather on protective factors that are evident and proven in the region. The Nicoya Peninsula Blue Zone, in addition to aligning with our Wellness Pura Vida strategy, are important as a driver of wellness tourism throughout the country, highlighting the importance of creating authentic travel experiences. These geographical areas are considered special, because most people live at least 90 and often over 100 years of age. Gone are the days of making your own food and growing organic produce. None of these staples are processed, and because all of these foods are locally grown they are not faced with genetically modified or pesticide laden produce. The way Nicoyans choose to live their lives gives us a template from which we can learn to improve our health and find our sense of purpose. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Maintaining close ties with family and friends helps reduce stress. They also practice good physical and mental health. Add the red onions, sliced radishes, tomatoes, orange supremes, cilantro and 3 tablespoons oil to the cabbage. seen in blue zones. If we can harness that, we can hopefully improve the health of future generations. Within Nosaras lush forest and a three-minute walk to Guiones Beach, this small hotel has a daily yoga class plus private yoga instruction, surf lessons, a large pool, hammocks, and a juice and coffee bar. Why Nicoya is Considered One of the Anti-Aging Zones in the World Few really know what aging is and how it can be controlled, here experts from Costa Rica and around the world talk about it and define the Nicoya Peninsula as one of those with the most long-lived people. Book a transfer from your hotel, opt for a shuttle or public bus, or take a domestic flight to one of the peninsulas larger towns. Buettner had spent several years before penning the article leading expeditions including tracing Darwins route in the Galapagos and Marco Polos trip along the Silk Road. These cantons are: Carillo, Hojancha, Nicoya, Santa Cruz, and Nandoyure. Even the cancer rates on the Nicoya Peninsula are lower than those elsewhere in the world! Nicoya Peninsula - A Blue Zone In Costa Rica | Villa Firenze [Try this 5-Minute Tasty Squash and Beans for a taste of Costa Rican homecooking.]. This treasure includes the atmosphere around you." A "Blue Zone" is a region of the world where people commonly live past the age of 100 years.In "Blue Zone Nicoya Peninsula", residents live even longer than those in other areas of Costa Rica. The proper mindset about longevity is not about aspiring to live to a very old age, but to enjoy the best quality of life possible during the last ten years we live, says Alvaro Cedeno-Molinari, a former Costa Rican diplomat and ambassador who works intensely promoting bioliteracy, regeneration, and well-being as holistic healthy mindsets. Check out all of our favorite travel companies. At the southern tip of the peninsula is Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve. He added that "we must somehow emulate, duplicate or copy the lifestyle of centenarians, and their way of living, but above all, their environment, diet, activity; above all, the connections they make, human connections, not technological ones. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. One Nicoyan, a centenarian, said he knew death would eventually come for him but it is the love for his children that motivates him to keep going every day. We have obtained information from Nicoya, Costa Rica on ways to live longer and be happier. . It is home to some of the most active, hard-working, and friendliest people on earth. All rights reserved. Just note, you might have trouble finding a place to stay. Costa Rica's Longevity Secrets - Blue Zones We do not need to wait for our cities of residence to adopt the principles for healthier living outlined in the Blue Zones Project. Nosara also has three beaches remote black sand Playa Nosara, Playa Guiones with some of Costa Ricas best surfing, and Playa Pelada for tide pools, blow holes, snorkeling, and swimming. The heart is a muscle, and all muscle contractions depend on calcium. Blue Zone: Nicoya, Costa Rica - Plant-Based Life Foundation Along with starting every morning with a healthy breakfast, Nicoyans also eat nutritious food throughout the day. Your best bet might be finding a VRBO instead of a hotel. The World Meeting of Blue Zones laid the groundwork, in a spirit of s se puede (yes we can), envisioning a blue Costa Rica, following the example of healthy habits set by more than 900 inhabitants aged 90 or older, and the centenarians of Nicoya Peninsula. Many believe it will be through the cutting-edge innovations of regenerative medicine that the privileges of the Blue Zones can be democratized, so that anyone, anywhere, and at any time has access to the technology that allows us to replenish, replace and rejuvenate our physical bodies., What weve witnessed during 2020 are healthcare systems around the world that are reactive, bureaucratic, inefficient, and saturated. Because of this, they enjoy extremely low rates of heart disease. However, altering your diet, increasing the amount of exercise you get in a given day, and embracing relationships with family and friends are good places to start. Though Costa Rica has just 0.03 percent of the planets surface, it has almost six percent of the worlds biodiversity and you might see (or hear!) Adapting our lifestyles wherever we live to healthier practices such as intermittent fasting, walkability, exploring plant-based gastronomy, and low glycemic index food intake sound like your everyday doctors recipe for a healthy life, says Cedeno-Molinari. Nicoya, Costa Rica - Blue Zones If coming from San Jose, the easiest way to get to the Nicoya Peninsula is to take the ferry from Puntarenas. Youre sure to be on the path to a long and healthy life after the four-handed Abundance Treatment, which combines Reiki, Shiatsu, Swedish massage, sound and aromatherapy, and acupressure. While the Blue Zones project Lane discusses isnt a cure for COVID-19, the principals lived by the people in those zones could increase the chance of livelihood for people of other cultures. You can replicate some of the long-life characteristics of the Nicoya Peninsula on a trip to Costa Ricas Blue Zone and then turn them into healthy habits when you return home. These factors are present, to some degree, in the other four Blue Zones in the world, according to world experts who participated in the World Meeting in Nicoya in mid-November. But other factors are at play, especially in Nicoya, an 80-mile peninsula just south of the Nicaraguan border. Centenarian Dietary Secrets - The Weston A. Price Foundation Costa Rica is home to one of the five original blue zones regions, the Nicoya peninsula, with a high number of centenarians in excellent health. The Blue Zone in Costa Rica: Where People Live their Best Life Several of Nicoyas beaches like those in the Ostional National Wildlife Reserve are nesting grounds for Kemps Ridley, green, and leatherback turtles. Eco-tourism is a natural must in this out-of-this-world scenario, where everything that happens is in a quiet, lovely pace. The most southerly point is Cabo Blanco Reserve and the south coast also has the town of Tambor. Brand Storytelling At Sundance: Championing Excellence And Filmmakers With Purpose, Profitable ECommerce Growth For CPGs Is In Reach. These regions are considered Blue Zones. To my delight, Costa Rica has its own Blue Zone - the Nicoya Peninsula! They include good physical and mental health, upholding a traditional diet, a deep faith and spirituality, support and respect to family networks that go across generations, where grandchildren spend time with their grandparents and share in their knowledge, physical activity and constant mobility, and a purpose in life associated with spirituality. Here are some of the factors that make Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula a blue zone worth visiting. - save 10% Plus other perks . But we must also consider the impact of our individual health and lifestyle choices on future generations. The distinguished list included pioneering researchers on this subject: Michel Poulain of Belgium, Dr. Gianni Mario Pes and Paolo Francalacci from Sardinia, Italy, Christina Chrysochoou from Icaria, Greece, Makoto Suzuki from Okinawa, Japan, Gina Siapco from Loma Linda, USA, and Diego Bernardini from Argentina. Even in areas like Nicoya, this has been replaced with the ease of processed meals and fast food (although there are very few fast food options in Nicoya in my experience). Specifically, the rural landscapes of the Nicoya Peninsula, where people have some of the longest lifespans in the world. Nicoya, the "Blue Zone" in Costa Rica The Costa Rica News In these areas people have low rates of chronic diseases, so they tend to live longer than in other places. Rice and black beans, gallo pinto, served with eggs and tropical fruit. What are Blue Zones? 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Pura vida means pure or simple life and Costa Ricas Nicoya Peninsula has what you could call extreme pura vida. A research team is currently researching the . "Looking beyond Costa Ricas Blue Zone in Nicoya, elements that make our population stand out and that describe our focus on well-being can be found in every corner of our territory. Blue Zone is a term created by author Dan Buettner, building off of research by demographers Michel Poulain, Ph.D., and Giovanni Pes, Ph.D. mobile app. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Almost 40 percent of the residents of the Nicoya Peninsula (about 5,000 of the population of 132,000) are over the age of 75, more than 900 are over the age of 90, and many are over 100. Who knows, maybe it will change your life! We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. You can, thanks to the world's "blue zones." The Nicoya Peninsula is in many ways isolated from the rest of Costa Rica due to geography. But the simplest truth is that what one needs is to sleep eight hours every night, eat a nutritious, plant-based diet during a six-hour period to give your pancreas an 18-hour break until your next meal, and be at peace with everything and everyone all of the time, he adds. Successful centenarians have a strong sense of purpose. The forest here is more tropical than further north and is home to deer, pacas, monkeys, armadillos, laughing gulls, pelicans, frigates, and brown boobies.